Bad night for a stiff neck

My apologies to the five of you who saw my other post. I didn’t hear about Kyle’s stiff neck until a minute ago. That being said, depsite the RAB love for Chris Britton, he shouldn’t be pitching the 9th in a tie game on the road in mid-September. It’s really too bad Torre insisted on using Edwar last night for one out. The Yanks survive another inning with Mr. Ramirez. And Melky’s ball was so close which is after all the story of the 2008 Yankees.

Who were they supposed to use? No Joba/Farns/Edwar, Viz was already used, and if he brings in Mo, then he wouldn’t be available for all 3 games vs the Sawx. Britton was his best option, and he got beat on singles by an All-Star and future HOFer.

It’s no biggie, shit happens. Forget about it and focus on tomorrow’s game. That’s what the guys in the locker room are doing.

John Lynch

I gotta disagree with the Britton/Farnsie/Edwar analysis. Just because Farnsworth has pitched 10 good innings doesn’t suddenly make him not a middle of the road reliever, which happens to be the same thing that Chris Britton is. As for Edwar, as much as I love him and his potential, he has had a propensity for giving up HRs: 5 in only 16.2 innings to go with 9 BB. He’s not exactly the guy you want protecting a tied game in the ninth on the road either.

Given his options and the upcoming series, I have no problem with the bullpen management tonight.

Ivan

Can I ask you guys a question, why do you like this Chris Britton guy? I never thought he was that good.

So what he had one good year, how many relievers have a good year and after that suck for the most of their careers.

Plus, what makes chris Britton so Special?

Ivan

Plus, blaming Joe on this game is ridiculous.

http://breakingballs.blogspot.com/ Caleb

Ivan, I’m not sure if you are as think as I drunk you are, but what is not to like about Chris Britton? Unlike your average Scott Proctor-type, Britton is only 24 and has had success every step of the way. He has put up gaudy strikeout numbers in the minors (110:23 K/BB in 78.2 IP in A+), and he held his own in the bigs last year for the O’s after a mere 16 IP in AA. The Yankees smartly kept him down in AAA for 57 innings this year to get a bit more polish. While down there, he continued to strike out a batter per inning, while sharpening his walk and HR rates to their best level yet. Britton is a big boy with big upside, the opposite of Ian Kennedy on both counts (sorry, guys). Plus he has a metal plate in his forehead so he can pulverize the opposition.

yankz

Ian Kennedy 1 hits a major league team with some decent hitters in its lineup, throws 90 pitches over 7+ innings (AFTER throwing 25 in the first), and matches one of the hottest pitchers in the game in his third career start. Yet he has no upside. OK.

C-Note

yea, CALEB, I gotta second YANKZ on this , IPK with no upside??? Do you actually watch the same games we do? what did you not like about IPK’s first full season of professional baseball? So he doesn’t hit 98 on the gun, Maddox never did and the last time I check he’s managed to win a few games

http://breakingballs.blogspot.com/ Caleb

I didn’t say IPK had no upside…I said he didn’t have “big” upside. This start is very impressive, and a nice starting point after flying through the minors. I wouldn’t get too excited about the strength of the Blue Jays lineup on days when, outside of the 3-4-5 hitters, the team’s OPS is .691. That said, one hit is one hit, and I am impressed. People should stop pandering about Greg Maddux’s name, though. This kid has lower velocity, higher walk rates, and less movement on his fastballs than a young Maddux. Yes, Mad Dog succeeds today in the same 89-91 range, but that is after years of growth. I’m just saying, temper your expectations. Kennedy won’t grow up to be the first ever low velocity finesse righty ace, but he could grow up to happily take the ball every 5 days, slotting in after Joba, Hughes and Wang.

p.s. I would say something more substantive, but IPK’s PECOTA page has disappeared for some reason.

Tano

“Plus, blaming Joe on this game is ridiculous.”

Yeah, but its so easy to do. I mean, why bother actually thinking about the game? What fun is that? So much work has been done to establish the “Torre blows games with his bullpen management” meme – so that it is the readily available answer to every Yankee loss – why wouldn’t you use such a handy explanation? I mean, its great – very safe (since everyone “knows” its true), it establishes you as smarter than a guy who has been handling pitchers, in one way or another, for 50 years, and best of all, who can argue against it? Britton failed – surely someone could have gotten through that inning….

steve (different one)

i agree that the game shouldn’t be blamed on Torre.

that said, ideally Mariano should have been pitching there. you can’t lose the game without exhausting your best relievers.

but since 90% of managers don’t like to use their closers on the road in a tie game, i don’t blame Torre at all. i disagree with that strategy, but it’s just the way the game is played these days.

Barry

I think we should scrap the loss and look at IPKs upside. Showed some greatstuff and alot of poise. Anyone else hearing these rumblings of hughes being trade bait?

Mike N (Stamford, CT)

There is an upside. At least the Yanks have Pettite going after a loss, where he has been pretty money this year.

Rob_in_CT

Not Torre’s fault. The end.

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

If you want to blame anyone, blame Melky for grounding out weakly to end the inning with the bases loaded in the top of the 9th.

steve (different one)

huh? that didn’t happen.

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

My bad, it was second & third, not bases loaded. He’s still gotta come through in that spot.

steve (different one)

but he didn’t “ground out weakly” either. he sliced the ball the other way and Overbay made a good play. a few inches either way and it’s 3-1.

am i remembering the wrong inning??

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

You guys are right, I’m confusing it with another AB. My mistake.

Andrew

Didn’t Melky hit a down-the-line double, or it would have been if Lyle Overbay didn’t dive and grab it? That was so obviously the entire game right there. Good on Overbay.

Count Zero

Agreed — when Overbay made that play you pretty much knew something bad was going to happen in the bottom half.

Relaunch

Look at the replay. It was an okay play, nothing great. It wasn’t hit down the line, just to the left of him.

Count Zero

Didn’t say it was a great play — just said it was one of those game of inches things. When it happened you knew…

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Here’s a good question: Why didn’t they intentionally walk Thomas in that situation?

steve (different one)

that’s a good question. after the steal, he should have been walked. what was the count?

Relaunch

Man is Britton fat

http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.

Nobody is blaming Joe Torre for this loss. Sheesh.

tony from the bronx

ipk has no upside? look at his career he owns just about every USC pitching record there is and some pretty good pitcher went to USC he was more dominant then joba and phil in the minors this idea that the president is a 3 or 4
makes
no sense to me and to his performance

Ivan

Caleb:

I don’t know what hell you are talking about. Britton upside is very limited period. Ian Kennedy may not be an ace even a two starter but a guy who can eat innings and strike guys out at an adequate rate and has a great I doubt it but a three is most possible and be a very good MLB pitcher for years to come. This isn’t Tyler Clippard who yankee fans overrated for years, this guy is the real deal man.

I have always liked Kennedy and the way he pitches is going to help him be a successful pitcher for years to come and be consistent if he taps into his potential.

PS: Britton has very little upside I am sorry.

Relaunch

And he is about 300lbs

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Or roughly 1/2 of 1 Curt Schilling.

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Britton’s upside is limited, but he’s by no means some crappy, insignifcant pitcher. He proved last year that he can handle the AL East, and even if he;s nothing more than a middle guy for the Yanks, that’s very valuable.

Not everyone needs to be a star you know. The Yanks tried that route for years and where did it get them? Coming right back to the kids.

Ivan

Mike A:

I understand not everybody is going to be a star, I mean look at Ian Kennedy. He’s not gonna be a ace or at least a front-line starter but an above average starter is huge in the Majors in this day age and like the guy alot.

I just feel that a guy like Britton isn’t that great of a reliever that’s all. Guys like Britton are easy to replace and you have to understand that a ton relievers have one good year and suck for the most of their careers.

Nevertheless, you are fan of britton and I am not. Lets see if he can prove me wrong.